Amidst our math lessons, science labs, and language classes, there is a specific block of the week that often goes unsung in middle and high school, yet it is probably one of the most important things we do here at ISA: Community Time.
It is easy for a school to just become a building where young people sign in, memorise facts, take exams, and sign out. But that isn't a school; that is more of an academic waiting room. What transforms a building into a genuine community are the moments when we put the textbooks down, mix up the year groups, and engage with one another. This week, our Community Time was a perfect, slightly chaotic, and lovely example of why this matters so much.
If you have ever tried to get a room full of high school teenagers to rhythmically stomp, clap on the beat, and dance in front of their peers, you will know it requires a minor miracle. However, one of our brilliant CAS groups managed exactly that. They organised a massive Flamenco dancing session for the high school. Watching a whole load of teenagers awkwardly, then enthusiastically, embracing the rhythm was hilarious, joy-inducing, and exactly the kind of shared vulnerability that breaks down social barriers. Then mix in the teachers, and I am sure you can imagine what that looked like.
While the younger high schoolers were trying to figure out their footwork, our Grade 12 students were engaged in something entirely different, but just as important. They had a special visit from our recently graduated Class of 2025. Heather (our guidance counsellor) and I can stand at the front of a room and offer university advice until we are blue in the face, but our university days were a long time ago. Hearing the absolute, unfiltered truth about university life, deadlines, and independent living from alumni who were sitting in those exact same chairs just a year ago is gold dust. The Grade 12s were hanging onto every word. One top tip of the afternoon; please don’t leave your window open if you live in the city centre otherwise there will be pigeons in the living room when you wake up.
Meanwhile, down in the Middle School, things were a bit noisy but buzzing with just as much energy. The Grade 8s hosted their Design Showcase on The Street, and the rest of the middle school (and families) was invited in to explore. It is a special thing to watch Grade 6 and 7 students wandering around, completely wide-eyed at the prototypes and projects the older kids have built. It gives the younger students something to aspire to, and it gives the Grade 8s a well-deserved moment to show off their hard work to an audience that thinks they are cool.
This is the real value of community. It’s the CAS students leading their peers in a dance, the alumni reaching back down the ladder to pull the Grade 12s up, and the younger kids cheering on the older ones. It is the glue that holds all the academic stuff together and part of why the ISA community is so special!
Comments
Post a Comment